Self-closing tube



March 27, 1951 ABARR 2,546,709

SELF-CLOSING TUBE Filed July 22, 1949 3 fill ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-CLOSING TUBE Garfield Abarr, Napa, Calif. Application July 22, 1949, Serial No. 106,132 4 Claims. (01. 222-213) This invention relates to self-closing tubes and particularly to tubes of this character which are particularly adapted to contain tooth paste, shaving cream, jellies, glue, cement, or any like material.

In the past, various types of tubes and containers for these materials have been placed upon the market. Some of these tubes have been of readily deformable material and all of them have been provided with discharge orifices. Sometimes the discharge orifices are closed with a removable cap member. Devices of this character, while having been widely used, have been subject to the diificulty that loss of the removable cap makes it difficult if not impossible properly thereafter to cover the discharge orifice. In that event, certain products such as glue, cement, etc. which harden upon contact with the atmosphere, clog the discharge orifice and render further utilization of the contents in the tube practically impossible or, at least, difficult. Furthermore certain products such as tooth paste, shaving cream and certain jellies will disintegrate upon contact with the atmosphere.

Various other types of closure members have been provided for deformable tubes including hinged devices which overcome the difiiculty of the closure member becoming lost but which are difiicult or expensive to manufacture. This difficulty and expense has prevented their widespread use.

Various other types of devices have been proposed and a variety of valves, plugs, and other apparatus have been incorporated in containers of this character with varying degrees of success and with varying numbers of defects.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device of this character which is self-closing and which is self-contained.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this character which is always ready for use and which requires no operation 01 caps, hinges, valves, plugs or other devices.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tube which is always closed, except when in operation, whereby the contents of the same will not be dried out by contact withthe atmosphere.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of -a self-closing tube incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 represents a cross-sectional view taken along the line Z2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 represents a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 represents a top plan view when the tube is closed.

Figure 5 represents tube is open.

As is shown in Figure 1 my device consists of a tube I ewhich may be formed of any flexible or resilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber, flexible plastic or other material having these qualities. The upper end ll of the tube l0 incorporates the self-closing assembly which will more fully hereinafter be described and the lower end I 2 is crimped in the conventional manner to prevent the discharge of the contents of the tube throughthe other end.

As is shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the discharge end ll of the tube II] is provided with a thickend portion l3 substantially as shown. The thickened portion l 3, being molded integrally with the remainder of the tube I0, is made of the same material as the tube II], that is, either plastic or rubber or suitable similar material. and differs from the rest of the tube only because of its increased thickness. This increased thickness will cause the portion |3 of the tube In to be less readily deformable than the remainder of the tube. As is shown more particularly in Figure 3 the lower portion l3a of the thickened portion l3 extends substantially about the entire circumference of the tube and then tapers upwardly to two pairs of ribs l4 providing three channels I6, I! and l 8. The two pairs of ribs M are in registry a top plan view when the '(as shown) so that ribs I 4a engage ribs Mb, as

illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. The channels Ni, ii and !8 merge into a common chamber l9. As is particularly shown in Figures 2 and 5 the thickened portions 14a and Mb provide a pair ofrockers or shoulder members at fulcrum point 20 whereby when pressure is exerted upon the thickened portion I3 at, for example, l3a, the thickened portions Ma and MI) rock about fulcrum point 28 and that portion of the discharge end I i above the point 20 will tend to be drawn apart.

The channels 16, i! and 58 which extend upwardly and merge at chamber l9 are closed by a pair of lips 2| and 22 which are likewise formed of resilient rubber and are molded integrally with the remainder of the tube Ill. The lips 2| and 22 provide a discharge orifice 23 between them and are normally in closed position since, in the first place, they are molded in that position, and secondly, because the remainder of the device is normally molded in the condition shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4. As has previously been pointed out 3 the thickened portion 13 is substantially circumferential and, being less resilient than the remainder of the tube I0, will urge the tube to the position illustrated in Figure 1.

Likewise, when the tube is squeezed at points l3a, for example, and opposing portions of member 13 are urged together, the members l4 pivot around the point 20. Two things will then occur. In the first place the lip 2| and 22 will be urged apart and the orifice .23 will be openedpgenerally as shown in Figure '5. In the second place, the volume of the tube ill will be decreased causing a discharge of the contents of the tube l through the channels 16, I1, l8 and outwardly .through the orifice 23.

Operation of the device may brieflybedescribed as follows: Let it be assumed that the tube 1.0 is completely filled with tooth paste, shaving cream, jelly, salve, glue, cement, or any likezmaterial and that the bottom I2 is properly crimped to prevent .the discharge .of .the .contents therepoint 121] with the result that :thelips 2.! and 22 Will'beseparated and Ztheorifice opened. In addition, the volume Within .the tube II D .will be decreased and the contents-of the tube willseekan outlet. Since an outlet has been prepared .by

the opening of the orifice 23., the contents of the tube will be discharged therethrough. .As the tube contents are used, the tube may be rolled .up from the bottom as is done in conventional tubes. When the tube contents are nearly exhausted waste may be avoided by squeezing the tube nearly flat at point [3a. This is possible 1 due to flexibility of material used in construction.

When the pressure upon the point I.3.a .is reduced, the effect of the thickened or less resilient portion 13 willbe to urge .the tube to the position shown "Figure .1, that is, with the portion 13 in normal fully extended position. The .shoulders -14 will pivot at the point 29 and the lips 2| and 22 will close with the result that the discharge outlet 23 will likewise be closed.

The tube may be formed in any suitable manner as either by molding the same in entirety at one time or by molding the same in two halves 24 and 2*3 and sealing them at their adjoining edges in any suitable manner as by cementing them, insing them, or 'vulcanizing them. 1

In addition, at the time'the tube is formed th lips 2| and 22 maybe molded together in closed position. This may be desirable Where the tubes are to "be roughly handled prior to their being distributed to the ultimate consumer and where unexpected pressure might be applied to the tube l0 during transit, etc. Assuming that the lips 2| and 22 are molded in a sealed condition it is obvious that the 'contentsof the tube It! may not be discharged by such pressure. However, the ultimate consumer may remove the seal. In the event the seal is a simple rubber diaphragm between the lips 21 and 22 the ultimate consumer may remove the diaphragm or make a slit therein.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have invented a self-closing tube which will retain itself in normally closed position preventing the drying of the contents of the tube by the loss of one or more parts of the same.

While I have shown the preferred embodiments herein it is not to be assumed that th particular modification disclosed herein is the only manner of utilizing my invention. I assume for example that in the event merely increasing the thickness of the tube In at "points H and I3 is insufficient "to secure the desired results, a more rigid type of material may be molded into the tube at those portions generally designated at 13 and M. In this event it will be obvious that sufiicient rigidity will be imparted to the portion .IB and "Ba and to the shoulders I4 to obtain .the rocker efiect (as indicated in Figure 2) to compress the tube l0 and urge its contents outwardly through the opened discharge orifice 23.

I claim:

1. In .a .selfeclosing tube iormed of resilient material, a ,pair of lips forming a discharge orifice, .said lips being .normally in closed posi- .tion, a laterally disposed :rib extending around the inner circumference of said tube and two pairs -.of longitudinally disposed ribs extending :said laterally disposed .rib toward said lips, .each .pair of saidlongitudinal ribs engaging at -a .point adjacent :said lips, said :longitudinal ribs also :forming channels Irom 'the area within said .tube to said lips.

.2. In a self-closing "tube .formed 10f resilient material, .a .pair of :lips forming a discharge orifice, .said lips being normally in closed position, a circumferential rib extending laterally around the inside of .saidytube, two pairs of longitudinally disposed :rocker-shap-ed ribs extend- .ing from-=said laterally disposed rib toward said lips, each pair of opposite longitudinal rockershaped ribs engagingata point adjacent said lips and adapted to rock with respect to each other, said longitudinal ribs also forming channels from the area within said tube "to said lips.

3. In a self-closing tube .formed of resilient material, a .circumierential-ly disposed lateral rib normally urging .said tube to full extended posi- 'tion, two pairs of longitudinally disposed rockerlike ribs extending from said circumferentially disposed ribs tonne .end of .said tube, a pair of lips in .said end of :said tube, each pair-of said longitudinal rib being in engagement and --fiorm-ing a shoulder about whichthey may rock with respect to each other, whereby, when one end of said pairs of rocker-like vribs are urged toward each other, the other ends of said ribs are urged apart.

4. In a self-closing tube formed of resilient material, a ecircumferentially disposed lateral rib normally urging said tube to full extended position, two pairs of longitudinally disposed rockerlike ribs extending from said circumferentially disposed rib to one end of said tube, a pair of lips in said end of said tube forming a discharge orifice, each pair of said longitudinal ribs being in engagement and forming a shoulder about which they may rock with respect to each other, whereby, when one end of said pairs of ribs are urged toward each other, the other ends of said ribs and said lips are urged apart.

GARFIELD ABARR.

No references cited. 

